Learn More About the Solar Powered Surveillance Camera

The us of solar powered surveillance cameras allows one to install a camera in remote locations where using cables to supply power to your surveillance cameras are difficult, impractical, or expensive. These kinds of surveillance cameras can be very helpful in monitoring places like oil and gas well sites, border control, parks and recreation, construction sites, parking lots, remote gates, ranches, and other sites that require remote monitoring.

To install solar powered security cameras, you will need the basic components that will provide solar power to your cameras. Here are the following equipments that you will need (other than the camera, of course): A solar panel, a solar charge controller, a deep cycle battery, the proper cables for the power load.

Solar Panels

These solar panels are made of photovoltaic cells, which means, when these cells are exposed to sunlight, electron activity is generated, which is captured by a grid of electrical contacts. These panels should be well exposed to sunlight and not shaded. Shading even just a small part of the panel can result to low power generation. It is also best to adjust these panels so that they will face the equator; they should be set to the equivalent latitude of your location plus 15 degrees during winter and minus 15 degrees during summer.

Solar Charge Controllers

A solar charge controller is a small box that controls the amount of charge going into the batteries in order to prevent damage to the battery bank. The electricity from the solar panel is redirected through the solar regulator or charge controller before going in to the battery.

Battery

The batteries that are used in solar power system are especially designed to withstand constant discharging and recharging. Your local hardware store can help you find the best one to suit your needs. These batteries should be protected in order to withstand any adverse weather and other environmental conditions. Typical protection used for these batteries are the NEMA (National Electrical Manufacturing Association) boxes.

The Cables

When choosing cables for your solar powered surveillance camera system, it is important to take the diameter of the cables into consideration. The smaller cables can cause loss of electricity that can heat and causes wires to burn out. If you are planning to put the camera a little bit away from the solar power system, consider using cables with bigger diameters to ensure proper electric flow and safety of the equipment from burning.

The Power of The Sun

All You Need to Know About Solar Powered Security Camera

Every home and business establishment deserves the security it needs; that is the very reason why some people have opted to install surveillance cameras at home or at work to maintain security. These cameras run 24/7 to make sure that everything within the premises is recorded to provide a sense of safety to everyone. However, installing security cameras outdoors can be more arduous than installing them indoors. You will need longer power cables and make them weatherproof in case of rain, snow, wind, and whatever adverse weather conditions. So some have opted to adopt a new system for this—the solar powered security camera.

One advantage this solar powered security camera offers is the cost-cutting. You can save a lot of cash from not buying additional power cables and, of course, not having it connected to your power line, thus, saving you a part of your electric bill. Another thing that can be beneficial about this is that you can do it yourself at home.

If you are interested to try doing it at home, here are some of the things you would need: a web camera (wireless Internet feasible is much better), waterproof lunch box, cutter (or anything sharp enough to cut a portion of the lunch box), black paint (optional/any color will work too), old car battery, and of course, a solar panel.

Make sure that the camera your chose will fit to the lunchbox and that the lunch box is waterproof enough to keep the rain out. Measure the camera against the lunch box and use the cutter to make a hole on the covering of the lunch box to give space the LED and lens of the camera. Bore another hole for the motion sensor and other parts of the camera that needs accommodation (if necessary). Paint the lunch box to give it better coating against the rain. You can also use acetate film to cover the holes and yet give the lens and sensor a good view of the premises. After the paint have dried, assemble the camera and the lunch box. Install the solar panel connect it to the battery, after which, connect it to the camera. Install the assembled camera to your desired location.

The solar panel will keep the old car battery charged, which in turn, will power the camera. Choosing a Wi-Fi camera for this function will make a better choice as you can install it anywhere within the area with Wi-Fi Internet, thus, saving you from additional cash-out for and installation of LAN cables.